- This is a catastrophe. - Don't know what you expect me to do.
You realize what's happening in just 36 hours, right?
I'm guilt free. I didn't forget Hen's birthday last year.
You guys did. I sent her a text.
Listen, you guys need to be here.
The surprise at Hen's surprise birthday party
can't be that half the team is missing.
I don't know what to tell you.
Do you know when this mess is gonna get figured out?
All I know is there's some software glitch.
All flights out of Nashville have been grounded until further notice.
Also, I think I lost Buck.
Find him, I guess, and keep me updated.
- Was that Eddie? - Yeah.
You weren't shaming them for tying
for first in the firefighter games, were you?
There is no tying for first. That's just two second places.
Hey.
- Where have you been? - Rented a car.
You rented a car?
Look, we can sit in this terminal for God knows how long,
or we can get in a car, and it's a straight shot, 30 hours.
We'll take turns driving, windows down, tunes cranked.
It'll be fun.
♪ Carry on, my wayward son ♪
♪ There'll be peace when you are done ♪
♪ Lay your weary head to rest ♪
♪ Don't you cry no more ♪
- Terminator 1... - Uh-huh.
- ...True Lies... - Sure.
-...T2. - Kindergarten Cop.
No way that makes top five.
- What do you mean? That's vintage Arnold. - That's B+ at best.
♪ Once I rose Above the noise and confusion ♪
♪ Just to get a glimpse Beyond this illusion ♪
♪ Carry on, my wayward son ♪
♪ There'll be peace when you are done ♪
This is good, right?
Yeah.
When was the last time we went on a road trip like this?
- 2021. San Angelo fire. - Yeah. That was awesome.
- Yeah, it was a natural disaster. - So fun.
You know, this was a great idea, Buck.
This was a terrible idea.
Looks like an overturned tanker truck up ahead.
So much for Hen's birthday.
- What? No, we can still make it. - We're not even out of Oklahoma yet.
They'll get this thing cleaned up, and we'll be sailing.
Right into that storm that was supposed to hit the Rocky Mountains
that we're barely going to beat.
Okay, so we avoid the Rocky Mountains.
We can't avoid the Rocky Mountains.
We can if we go south.
- I-10? - Exactly.
Everybody's got the same maps and GPS apps, Buck.
But we have something they don't have.
Me.
- We're lost. - We're not lost.
Okay. Where are we?
I don't have signal, but probably still in New Mexico.
Maybe just Mexico.
- Okay, we didn't go that far south. - This whole thing has gone south.
I can't believe I let you talk me into this.
- What is that supposed to mean? - It wasn't code.
We should've stayed on I-40.
Why? So you could whine about the traffic and bitch about the Rocky Mountains?
- I wasn't whining or bitching. - Oh, please. You started at the airport.
- Everybody was bitching at the airport. - No, I wasn't.
Okay? I was trying to be upbeat. I was trying to be a problem-solver.
Anything to stop you doing what you always do, get gloomy.
It didn't work.
There's got to be a gas station or a coffee shop or something around here
where we can ask for actual directions.
It smells good.
- Just here to ask for directions. - Whatever, man.
You boys, find a seat anywhere. I'll be there in a minute.
No. No, no, no, no.
- What are you doing? - She said sit anywhere.
Come on. You really think we're gonna make it back in time for Hen's birthday?
- Probably not, no. - Exactly.
So we're not in a rush.
Might as well fuel up before we hit the road.
Besides, you get cranky when you don't eat.
Last chance, are you sure?
Mmm.
Well, somebody sure had a healthy appetite.
Oh, it was so good.
- Can I get you boys anything else? - No, we have a long drive ahead of us.
Okay. Where are you headed?
Home. Yeah, Los Angeles. Driving from Nashville.
- Oh. It's a funny route to take. - Our navigation failed us.
Hey, how do we get back to the I-10 from here?
Sure, that's easy. You're gonna take this road out here, it's called Center Street.
- Mm-hmm. - Go down till you hit Route 280.
Just keep going west, and you can't miss it.
You know, if you didn't want to get off the I-40, you didn't have to.
- No one had a gun to your head. - No, I had a Buck in my ear.
Oh, so you just do whatever I tell you?
Path of least resistance with you, Buckley.
So if I said jump off a bridge, you would just do it?
Oh, you know, actually I probably wouldn't even have to say it.
You'd already be jumping, seeing as you have a death wish.
It's not my death I'm wishing for right now.
Oh, it's mine? You're threatening me?
So we get a little lost, a little off track,
and suddenly you're all dark and gloomy, and I deserve to die.
Here, there's a fork. Put it in my neck. Put me out of my misery.
Kill me, Eddie. Kill me now. Why not?
You all done?
What the hell are you looking at?
Not a thing. We just don't see a lot of your kind around here is all.
- What's that supposed to mean, huh? - Okay, hey, ignore it.
No, no, no. I wanna know what our kind is.
You tell me, princess.
- Princess, really? How about this stretch? - Yeah.
- How about we go outside and I show you... - Hey, we're not doing this.
- Eddie, sit down. Come on. - No, why don't you sit down, Buck.
Harley, I think it's about time you and your boys were home annoying your wives.
Look, I'm sorry I called you gloomy.
Yeah, forget it.
And I'm sorry I got us lost.
No, you were right, we both decided to go the back roads.
The hell... these idiots come from?
Whoa.
Very cool.
- Nice. - Real tough.
- Whoa, hey, watch out! - Son of a bitch.
- Hang on. - Uh, should I call 911?
- You got service? - No, I don't.
Hang on!
Come on, man.
Hey! God.
Crap!
What's going on?
You were in a car accident, but you're all right.
Okay, what about my friend? How is he?
Sorry, which friend?
The other guy.
In the car. Evan Buckley. We were driving back to LA together.
Mr. Diaz, you've had a serious concussion.
CT ruled out subdural bleeding, but some confusion is normal.
Confusion. What are you talking about?
There was nobody else in the car with you.
You were alone.
Mr. Diaz, I'm Sheriff Woodson, Deputy Torres.
- Did you find him? - We're still looking.
We've combed a ten-mile radius. K-9s, ATVs.
Haven't found this Evan Buckley
- or anybody else. - Then we need more resources.
Why don't you tell me what happened right before you drove off the road?
We didn't drive off the road.
- We were forced off. - Right.
You told one of my boys a jacked-up pickup truck.
An older model with floodlights on the top and on the grille guard.
- You got a plate? - No, we were blinded.
But I'm pretty sure I know who it was.
We had a...
I wouldn't say a run-in at the diner.
These three dirtbags just tried to start something.
- It seemed like maybe they were locals. - I see.
Well,
we questioned nine locals from that diner.
What they recall is you and your... friend, Mr. Buckley--
- We call him Buck. - Cute. My wife calls me Woody.
What we heard is you and him had some sort of spat escalated to a fistfight.
- We had words. - My mistake.
I think we jotted a few of those words, hm?
"Now you want to murder me. Is that what you want?"
Oh, come on. No.
Do you honestly believe that I did something to Buck?
Did I say that?
- Did I say that? - Well, if you did. I missed it.
This is crazy. I...
Talk to the waitress, all right? Talk to the cook.
He's the one that chased those guys out with a shotgun, all right?
You need to find them. You need to question them.
- Maybe they took him. - Now why would they want to do that?
Ask them.
Rest assured we'll follow up any promising leads.
In the meantime, Doc Kenner advised you stay put for a couple of days
for an orthopedist to... check your wing.
Deputy Torres will be right outside if you need anything.
You know it's a rough day at the office when you go home with a broken back
or a misdemeanor battery charge.
I've seen uglier workplace disputes.
Speaking of, your coworker has a big day coming up.
Oh, it's in my calendar,
scrawled across my walls and tattooed to the back of my eyelids.
Hey, Edmundo.
How's the open road? You guys kill each other yet?
What? You guys okay?
Athena, wait.
No one saw him leave?
There were no witnesses to the crash?
It was a pretty deserted stretch of road.
So who's looking for him?
Local authorities have already searched the surrounding area.
I'm sure they've expanded it by now.
- Maddie, we'll find him. - I know he's out there alone,
- confused and in pain. - He could have also been helped.
Someone could've been driving by, picked him up.
- Then why hasn't he called? - I don't know,
- but I don't think we should assume-- - What else is there?
He's missing from a car wreck in the middle of nowhere.
He could be anywhere.
I think that these jeans survived,
but I think the blood on this shirt's gonna be a whole lot more stubborn.
Oh, no, no, no, no.
No. Don't try to sit up.
You've had one heck of an accident.
- An accident? - Well, you probably don't remember now.
How come I'm not in the hospital?
Well, there's nothing they can do for you there that I can't do for you here, honey.
Lie down, lie down.
Oof.
Hey, I... I know you.
Well, I should think so.
You work at the diner. Bonnie, that's your name, isn't it?
You playing games with me now, Derek?
- Derek? - Okay, I know you took a spill,
but you can't pretend not to know your own mother.
My-- My mother?
You know, I always hated that motorcycle.
I thank God that you are still in one piece,
but I will not miss that bike.
It scared me to death every time you got on it.
I think now you know why.
Lady, what are you talking about?
Where's Eddie?
Who's Eddie?
All right. No, I... I need my phone.
Where's my phone?
- It was smashed to bits like the bike. - I don't have a bike.
Yeah, well, not anymore.
- No, no. Okay. - Ah!
What did I tell you?
I said you need to be still. Don't make me tie you down.
Everything is gonna be just fine, baby. I promise.
Okay?
Okay. Okay.
Oof.
All I can see is where his phone was the last time he had service.
Now it's either out of range or turned off.
Or destroyed.
What's the location?
Diner off Route 280.
Yeah, that's the place to start.
The only problem is, sheriff's already been there.
I don't know if he's lazy or just protecting his pals.
He's just... He's not taking this seriously.
How much more serious can this get?
He thinks I murdered Buck.
- What's the name of this sheriff? - Yes, ma'am,
I'm sniffing every inch between that diner and the MVC,
but it's big country, and I only got so many dogs.
Then call for backup.
You called me. Are you my backup?
Do I need to be?
Because you should also be looking for three persons of interest.
I already spoke to those three persons,
their stories checked out.
Right now, I'm looking at one guy, mid-30s,
we put him on the scene, no alibi, plus an angry streak.
Sir, Eddie Diaz is no killer.
He's a combat veteran. You think he never pulled a trigger?
You don't know a thing about the man.
Correct. I only know the 863 residents of Los Nietos.
I got a lot to learn about your friend Edmundo.
You sound like you're the king out there. Maybe you are every other day of the year,
but today, you're gonna go and do your damn job.
Right after lunch.
What did I tell you about staying put?
Oh.
You're running a little hot.
I think I need to see a doctor.
No. What do doctors know?
A fever after a car accident.
It could be internal bleeding...
bone trauma, blood clots.
Well, we will just keep an eye on that.
Why are you doing this?
Where's my friend? Where's Eddie?
I'm just doing what any mother would do.
But I do not think what you need now are visitors.
You need to rest.
Mr. Diaz, you have a new roommate, Mr. Calderon.
Promise he won't disturb you.
Uh, just leave the clothes on the bed.
And you shouldn't be out of bed.
I'm heading back there right now.
All right, so how do I get the sheriff
to stop looking at me and start looking for Buck?
Okay, that's why I'm calling.
I'm gonna walk you through exactly what to do.
I know what you're about to say. Don't rush in.
Don't do anything suspicious.
Actually, I was gonna ask you if there's a window
because I think you need to go out of it.
That's not gonna make me look less suspicious.
It will not, but this isn't about you right now.
It's about Buck.
And you're the only one that we have on the ground there
who can find him alive.
So we need you to get out there
and figure out who these men in the diner are before it's too late.
But if I'm gonna do this, I'm gonna need some pants.
So sorry, Mr. Calderon.
- All right, I'm out. - How far is the diner from where you are?
Honestly, I have no idea.
Well, you need to get there and without attracting undue attention.
Options are limited.
But there are options.
You weren't supposed to get out of bed.
You can't... You can't keep me here, Bonnie.
People are gonna be looking for me.
People. [chuckles] People give up.
Like those doctors, they gave up. They said there was no hope for you.
And look at you now, you're on the mend. Just as handsome as always.
I'm not Derek, and you know it.
Oh! Oh, God. Okay, I'm Derek.
I am Derek. I'm Derek.
I'm Derek. I'm Derek. I'm Derek.
That's better.
Well, all right, now you catch your breath.
And when I get back, you best be in that bed.
I'm Derek.
How's our patient?
Um... Not a peep.
I think it's time to confiscate his phone for evidentiary purposes,
and to keep him from getting his friends in LA to bug the crap out of me.
Son of a bitch.
- What can I get you? - Some information, actually.
I was here last night, the three guys at that table...
I'm looking to find them, maybe get their names.
One was about 6'2", 6'3", denim, baseball cap.
You're describing 90% of our clientele.
They drove a jacked up pickup truck, a lot of floodlights.
- The cook on duty, he knew them. - That would have been Earl. He's not in.
- Can you call Earl? - Uh, not and keep my job.
He sleeps days.
Uh, look, there was a waitress,
a... little bit older, maybe she'd remember.
That's Bonnie, Bonnie Sheets.
Is she around?
Off till Wednesday. Sorry.
Do you have her address? Maybe I can get her number?
Thank you.
Hun...
I can't share somebody else's personal information,
but... you can have my number.
Sheets, Bonnie Sheets. How do you get the spelling though?
Sheets.
Bonnie Sheets. There she is. She's got a landline. Hold on.
No answer. It went to her machine.
- You got an address? - Got that too. I'm mapping it.
Okay, she's 18 miles from you, about a 30-minute drive.
Send me the location. I'll call you when I'm there.
Mom.
I-- I thought you forgot about me, Mom.
No.
I'm so hungry.
Will you make me something to eat?
I will, I will.
Of course I will.
But you have to lie down in the bed now, okay?
Okay, Mom.
Go on.
Okay.
You need some help, Mom?
Don't be silly.
You know I can balance five platters on one arm,
refill your iced-tea at the same time.
Now, I cut it in diagonal, the way you like it.
And I want you to be careful 'cause this soup is still very hot, okay?
What are you doing?
Bonnie, I don't wanna hurt you. I don't wanna hurt you!
No move.
Derek, where do you think you're gonna go?
There's nothing around for miles.
Baby, you can't survive in the desert alone.
Hey! Is anyone out there?
Argh!
Do you boys leave any room for dessert?
That all depends, Bonnie.
What time you get off work?
You're funny, Harley. Does Lorraine know how funny you are?
- It smells good. - We're just here for directions.
Oh. You boys, find a seat anywhere. I'll be there in a minute.
Okay.
- You okay? - Table five, you see him?
Yeah, I see him.
I swear, Earl, when he walked in for a minute,
I thought it was him.
It's not him, Bonnie.
Oh, but it could be.
This time, maybe it could be.
Bonnie, honey, listen to me.
We don't have to do this.
Just take him back up to the house,
and I'll fix it so he can't get out of that room and start over.
Too late for that. He ruined it.
Yeah, but you were so sure about it.
I was wrong.
- I just think he needs more time. - Look at him, Earl.
How much time do you think he's got? He's sick.
He'll get better. You'll make him better.
What he needs is a doctor, and we can't call a doctor.
It's got to be done, Earl. There is no way around it.
You know I can't be around for this part.
I know.
That's why I divorced you. You were always weak.
Athena's got the name for someone at the New Mexico State Police.
- She's gonna rattle some cages. - He's not picking up.
- Who? - Eddie, I'm going out there.
Maddie.
I'm gonna pack a couple of things, and then I'm gonna get in my car.
He'd do the same for me.
- He did the same for me. - I know. Okay, okay.
Sorry about Derek, Bonnie.
Motorcycle accident.
When did that happen?
Fourteen years ago.
You didn't even get a chance to say bye.
I know what that's like.
N-- Not with a-- a child.
I can't even imagine.
But I lost someone too last year.
He was like a father to me.
The first person who ever saw me as more than just a screwup.
And now he's gone.
Sometimes, I don't know who I am without him.
You know, you're the first person I said that to.
I can't replace him, Bonnie.
I can't bring him back.
Now all I can do...
...is try and let him go.
And that's what you have to do.
You have to let Derek go.
How?
By facing the truth.
No matter how hard it is.
I'm sorry, I don't know how.
Hey, someone's coming.
Hello. Anybody home?
- Hello. - Oh.
That's your friend, isn't it?
He survived?
We weren't trying to kill nobody, Bonnie. That was never the idea.
- Well, how does he know? - He doesn't.
Jenelle texted me. He stopped by the diner.
He's looking for Harley, not us.
Hello!
What are we gonna do if he comes down here, Earl?
- Well, let's hope he doesn't. - You can't let him.
Please, he has a son.
Christopher, he's 15 years old.
And he's all he has.
I'll do anything.
I'll be Derek. If he's convinced then he'll leave.
Howdy.
Oh, you're here to read the meters?
No, I'm looking for someone.
You waited on my friend and me at the diner last night.
Oh, I surely did too.
I thought you boys were headed back to Los Angeles.
We were.
We got run off the road.
- Oh, no. - My friend's missing.
Not really.
Yeah.
Looking for those guys that we nearly got into it with at your diner,
seemed like you knew 'em.
Oh, yeah.
Harley Wilcox, Nate, and Petey Armstrong were with him.
Does one of them happen to drive an older model jacked up pickup truck,
lots of, uh, floodlights?
That sounds about right.
Any idea where I could find them?
Well, they all work out at the oil fields.
You know how to get there?
Sure, you just, you know, the road you came in on, you just take that back down
all the way to Country Road Nine, and then you pull a left, keep going.
You'll see the pumps.
Yeah, thank you.
- Hey, I hope you find your friend okay. - Thanks.
He's your son too, isn't he?
You want to let him go, but she won't let you.
That's what this is about for you?
Oh, son, I have long since forgot what this is about.
Well, I guess I can't let you go now.
Where's Buck? Is he alive?
Where is he?
Let her be!
Take the shot, Earl!
Buck!
Move.
You can do this, Earl.
- Where the hell's my friend? Buck! - You can do this.
- Buck! - Come on, come on.
Shoot.
Oh, God.
Hey, Eddie.
- I need to see hands, empty hands! - Ah.
Come on.
Cover them.
Sheriff.
I take it that's your friend.
Yeah, the one I murdered. Yeah, that's him.
- What are you doing here? - Looking for you.
Jenelle at the Big Griddle said you were asking after Bonnie.
- I just wanted to know why. - I was looking for that.
I didn't think I'd find it here though.
- Buck. - Hey, hey.
You can arrest me later. Call the EMS now.
Look at me, Buck. Look at me, Buck.
Okay, you're gonna be okay.
You're gonna be okay. You're gonna be okay.
You look like hell.
You should see the other guy.
I am the other guy.
Yeah. I know.
Honey, why don't I just call the Lees?
You know they'll take the kids, I'll go with you.
Don't be ridiculous. You have a firehouse to captain.
I'll call you from the road.
Oh, it's an unknown number. Hold on.
Hello.
It's Buck.
Buck.
Hi. Hi.
What did the doctor say?
I'm cleared to travel.
No blood clots yet. No fever.
He just wants us to stop every 90 minutes so I can walk around a bit.
Just to be safe.
- You make sure you do that, Eddie. - You haven't seen what we're driving yet.
- We may both be walking. - Okay. Hey, put on the birthday girl.
We might not have service once we hit the highway.
- She's not here. - We can wait.
- When's she getting there? - Uh, she's not coming.
She's not coming to her own surprise party. Why not?
Well, evidently, Karen planned a surprise birthday weekend in Napa.
- Karen didn't tell anybody? - She was afraid I'd ruin the surprise.
Well, yeah, but she knew you had this planned.
No, no, she didn't.
He didn't tell Karen what he was inviting them to.
- Why the hell not? - I was afraid she'd ruin the surprise.
We could have just waited for our flight?
Sure you could have, but you wouldn't have gotten a chance to see the country.
Drive safe. We'll save you some cake.
Okay, we'll see you in ten hours.
Bye, bye, bye, bye.
Okay... ...you wanna talk to Chris?
I called him while you're getting snacks, not FaceTime though.
I think it'd be easier to explain the face in person.
Sure.
You ready?
Never readier. I can't get out of this place fast enough.
Yeah.
Oh.
Hey, are we sure this thing's gonna make it all the way back to LA?
It's a ten-hour drive.
What could go wrong?
♪ There'll be peace when you are done ♪
♪ Lay your weary head to rest ♪
♪ Don't you cry no more ♪